Use of health services by men with and without antisocial personality disorder who are alcohol dependent

In a sample of 104 medically stable male veterans with alcohol dependence, rates of health set-vice utilization were compared for 48 patients with a p rimary diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder and 56 patients without this diagnosis. Patients were diagnosed using DSM-IV lifetime criteria; pr evious utilization of health services was based on self-reports. Although a similar proportion of both groups reported previous service use, patients with antisocial personality disorder reported using more substance abuse tr eatment services than those with a primary diagnosis of alcohol dependence. Between-group multiple regression analysis showed that an earlier age at o nset of alcoholism and a history of a comorbid substance-induced mental dis order best predicted higher rates of use of substance abuse treatment.